Regulator for timepieces



Feb. 1, 1927. 1,615,951

K. s. MCENTIRE REGULATOR FOR TIMEPIECES Filed Feb. 18 1925 I 46 1a yr? Witness: 351;; a

, 3d ofthe associateparts.

Patented Feb. 1, 1927.

U ITE .s'TAT-ES PA TEN T OFF I C'E.

'"KENNETH S. MC'EN'TIRE, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

REGULATOR FOR TIMEPIEGES.

Application filed February My invention relates to regulators for time-pieces of the class embodying the usual pendulums which serve by their oscillations to'regulate the running of said timepieces. The invention embodies mechanism which cooperates with :the minute hand and the pendulum adjusting mechanisms in regulating the length of stroke of'said pendulum, tothe end that when thetime-piece runs too fast 'or too slow'thei stroke ofthe pendulum may be lengthened or shortened as required to correct the ru'nningof said time-piece.

In its-preferred embodiment, theinvention includes mechanism for daily, weekly and final adjustment of the pendulum adjusting mechanism, and in order that'the invention may be'fully understood, reference will now be had to the accompanying drawing, in which: Fig. 11 is a fragmentary front elevation Y of atime-piece equipped with theinvention. Fig. i2 :is a fragmentary rearelevation of the*time'-piece equipped with the invention. Fig.3 is an irregular vertical section on '%liireT II-eIII of Fig. 2 witlrthe verge Wire added. Fig.1'4is a horizontal section on line IV-- IV-of Fig.2.

Fig. 5 .is a detail of ahanger and some ,iFig; .6.-:is abroken detail plan view of the hangerand :a universal joint whereby it is suspended.

I Fig. 17 is a detailof apendulum adjusting 36 screw. and associate parts.

The='timepiece embodies the usual dial A, minute hand B, staff C upon which the i 4 :minute hand B is ifixed, frame D in which staff :0 issjournaled,pendulum bobE, pendu- 40 lumabolo F,spring G whereby the pendulum rod -F is suspended, verge wire I, screw H for raising or lowering guard J with relation vuito stationary support K which supports 1 .spring-QG, for the purpose of shortening or lengthening the stroke of thependulum, and L a .gear wheel fixed-to the upper end of thescrewiH'to rota'tethe same. Referring :now more particularly to the parts constitutingimy invention, -2 designates a pinion fixed to the-rear endof the minute-staff C .and adapted to drive any part of a train consisting of large gear wheels 4, 6 and 8, "and'small gear wheels 10 and 12 which are fixedito .the gear wheels -'4 and '6 and inter- .meslrwith the gear wheels 6 and 8, respectively.

18, 1925. Serial No. 10,145.

The gear wheels 4, 6 and 8 are mounted upon stub shafts 14, 16 and 18, respectively, projecting from the lower arcuate portion 20 of a hanger 22 suspended from a universal joint consisting of pivots 24, projecting from opposite sides of the upper portion-of said hanger 22, a U-shaped member 26 in which said pivots 24 are mounted, and a pivot .28 connecting said U-shapedmember26 to the rear portion of the frame D.

The hanger 22 .is provided with bearings 30 and 32, in which a shaft 34 is journaled. The shaft 34 is provided at its lower end with a fixedly-mounted small bevelgear 36 which intermeshes with and is driven by the large gear 4 and provided at its upper end with fixedly-mounted small gear wheel 38 which intermeshes with and drives'the gear wheel L. As shownby Figs. 2 and 3,the gear wheel 38 has curved teeth in order that it may remain in mesh with the gear wheel L, irrespective of whether the hanger 22 is adjusted to throw the large .gear wheels 4, 6 or 8 into mesh withthe pinion 2. The hanger 22 in the present instance is fixed to and manually controlled by a rod 40, which extends forwardly througha slo 42 in the front portion of the time-piece A. The'forward end of the rod is provided with a fixedly-mounted indicator '44 which coacts with :a scale embodying three grad-- nations designated D "\V, and F denoting daily adjustment, weekly adjustment, and final adjustment, respectively. In order to enable the'operator to holdthe indicator 44 in line with any of the graduations, I provide the upper portion of the rod 40 with a V-shaped tooth 4-6 adapted to enter any of the notches 48, 50, 52, which are spaced apart to correspond with the spacing of the graduations D \V and F respectively.

The tooth 46 and the notches 48, 50 and 52 also constitute a guide whereby the operator is enabled to adjust the hanger 22 to bring any of the gears .4, 6 or 8 into mesh with thepinion 2. A tooth 54 at the lower end of the hanger 22 is adapted to enter any ofthe grooves 56, 58 or 60 on a sector 62fixed to the rear portion ofthe frame D, for the purpose of holding said hanger 22 stationary so that it in turn will hold any of the gears 4, 6 or 8 in mesh with the pinion 2. l

The operation of the mechanism is as follows: Assuming for example that the pendulum is incorrectly adjusted and results in the loss or gain of one hour in twenty-iour, said pendulum can be correctly adjusted by moving the indicator 44 to the graduation designated D and also pushing said indicator upwardly from the dotted line to the full line position, Fig. 3, to cause the hanger 22 to swing forwardly and carry the gear wheel 8 into mesh with the pinion 2. The minute hand B is then turned forwardly or backwardly one revolution accordto whether the time-piece is running too slow or too fast. The movement of the minute hand B is transn'iitted to the screw l-I through the train comprising the stal'li C, )inion 2, large gear wheel 8, small gear wheel 12, large gear wheel 6, small gear wheel 10, large gear wheel 4, bevel gear 36, shaft 22, small gear wheel 38, and the gear wheel L. If adjustment ot the pendulum is such as to result in the loss or gain of one hour in seven days, said pendulum may be correctly adjusted by moving the indicater 44 to the graduation IV and pushing upwardly to adjust gear wheel 6 into mesh with the pinion 2, so that when the minute hand B is moved forwardly or back wardly one revolution the gear wheel L will be turned through a less are than with the daily adjustment, and the movement is reduced in proper proportion by the gears 6, 10 and 4. It the time-piece loses or gains one hour per month it may be corrected by moving the pointer 44 to the graduation F to bring the gear wheel 4 into mesh with the pinion 2, so that the gear L will be turned through a lesser are than with the weekly adjustment when the minute hand 13 is moved backwardly or forwardly one revolution. When the indicator 44 is released after any of the foregoing adjustments have been made the weight thereof and the rod 40 swings the hanger 22 backwardly as indicated by dotted lines Fig. 3, and thus throws any of the gears 4, 6 or 8 out of mesh with the pinion 2.

From the foregoing description it is apparent that I have provided a simple and convenient mechanism whereby the eliective stroke of the pendulum may be lengthened or shortened to correct the running of the timepiece, and while I have shown and described the preferred construction, combination and arrangement of parts, I reserve the right to all such changes as properly fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In combination with a time-piece, a pinion controlled by a hand of said timepiece, and mechanism for transmitting motion from said pinion to the pendulum adjusting mechanism of the time-piece for the purpose of lengthening or shortening the stroke of said pendulum.

2. In combination with a time-piece, a pinion controlled by a hand of said timepiece, and mechanism for transmitting motion from said pinion to the pendulum adjusting mechanism of the time-piece for the purpose o'l. lengthening or shortening the stroke of said pendulum, and manually controlled means of throwing the motion transmitting mechanism. into gear with said pinion.

3. In combination with a: timepiece, a pinion controlled by a hand of said tiniepiece, and mechanism for transmitting motion from said pinion to the pendulum adjustingmechanism of the time-piece for the purpose of lengthening or shortening the stroke of said pendulum, an adjustable support on which the motion transmitting mechanism is mounted, and n'ieans lor adjusting said support to throw said motion transmitting mechanism into gear with said pinion.

4. In combination with a time-piece, a pinion controlled by a hand of said timepiece, mechanism embodying a train of gear wheels a number of which are adapted to intermesh with said pinion to cause said mechanism to transmit motion to the pendulum adjusting mechanism of the timepiece for the purpose of lengthening or shortening the stroke of the pendulum, the amount of such adjustment varying with the gear wheel of the train which is thrown into mesh with the pinion and the are through which the latter is rotated by the hand of the time-piece, and selective mechanism whereby the desired gear wheel of said train is thrown into mesh with said inion.

5. In combination with a time-piece, a pinion controlled by a hand of said timepiece, mechanism embodying a train of ear wheels a number of which are adapte to intermesh with said pinion to cause said mechanism to transmit motion to the pendulum adjusting mechanism of the timepiece lior the purpose of lengthening or shortening the stroke of the pendulum, the amount of such adjustment varying with the gear wheel of the train which is thrown into mesh with the pinion and the are through which the latter is rotated by the hand of the time-piece, and manually-controlled selective mechanism embodying a pointer and a scale whereby the desired gear wheel of said train is thrown into mesh with said pinion.

6. In combination with a time-piece, a pinion controlled by a hand of said timepiece, mechanism embodying a train of gear wheels a number of which are adapted to intermesh with said pinion to cause said mechanism to transmit motion to the pendulum adjusting mechanism of the timepiece for the purpose of lengthening or shortening the stroke of the pendulum, the

. piece, gearing for transmitting motion from said pinion to the pendulum adjusting mechanism of the time piece for the purpose of lengthening or shortening the stroke of said pendulum, an adjustable hanger on which said gearing is mounted, and a handle for actuating said hanger to cause the same to adjust the gearing in and out of active position.

8. In combination with a time-piece, a

pinion controlled by a hand of said timep ece, gearing for transmitting motion from said pinion to the pendulum adjusting mechanism of thevtime piece for the purpose of lengthening or shortening the stroke of said pendulum, an adjustable hanger on which said gearing is mounted, a handle for actuating said hanger to cause the same to adjust the gearing in and out of active position, a pointer fixed to said handle, and a scale on said time-piece to coact with said pointer in positioning the gearing.

9. In combination with a time-piece having a pendulum and means for adjusting said pendulum to lengthen or shorten the stroke thereof, gearing controlled by a hand of the time-piece for actuating said adjusting means, and manual means for throwing said gearing into active position.

10. In combination with a time-piece having a pendulum and means for adjusting the latter to vary the stroke thereof, a train of gearing for actuating said adjusting means and embodying a prime mover controlled by a hand of the time-piece, an adjustable support upon which a portion of said train is mounted, and means for adj usting said support to throw certain of the gears of the train into mesh with said prime mover.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

KENNETH S. MQENTIRE. 

